Store mentor passes baton

Vine and Branches Christian bookstore in Lodi, California, has changed hands. Lance and Laurie Coffman have taken over from previous owner Phil Biddle, who helped Lance when he was a new Christian visiting Phil’s other store, Bible House in Elk Grove. “He’d always pray for me,” Lance recalls. With the addition of a cafe, the new owners hope to raise money from portions of their coffee sales to help fight sex trafficking in the Central Valley. Laurie recently founded Hope Initiative, a nonprofit helping with rescue and awareness of sex trafficking.